Jumper cables are unreliable at best. It’s about time for a change. This DIY will show you how to make your own solar charged car battery using pretty basic items. The one thing you’ll probably need to pick up is the solar panel, and to tell you the truth, not much more is needed.

The panel is connected to the car battery with a voltmeter. When the voltage reading is around churning at 14V, your battery is charged. This is a true ghetto-tized DIY if I ever saw it. And even better, it’s eco-friendly. — Andrew Dobrow

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People who have a limited amount of space in their apartments or houses have a tough time finding the space to house a productive recycling system. All of those beer cans and cardboard boxes your porn comes shipped in add up fast. Creating even less room in an already cramped living space. The Ecopod Recycling System aims to offer a compact way to be eco-friendly.

The Ecopod crushes all plastic or aluminum containers you throw into it, storing 50 crushed items in a slide out plastic pod which can easily be slid out to the designated area. The Ecopod doesn’t even run on electricity. It crushes via manpower using a foot pedal. Beneath its lid there are two other pod compartments to house all other recyclables such as newspapers and glass. Available now for $328. — Andrew Dobrow

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The Stewart Milne Group has revealed their design prototype for a luxury house which is environmentally healthy as well. The house is equipped with wind mill turbines, a chimney solar panel, and devices for water conservation. The Milne built house will be a totally carbon free powered dwelling. The house has upper floor terrace balconies to enhance the amount of outdoor room in urban areas and super insulated walls for optimal heat and energy use.

The Milne Group says that the design of this house is to demonstrate that eco-friendly homes with low to zero carbon emissions is possible for an affordable production price. The flexible interior spaces allow for easy alterations without affecting the structural soundness. The renewable energy sources allow the house to be a luxury quarter for the green man. The evironmental add ons do add an additional 20% on to the price of the house, but for saving the planet, that’s hardly something to stick your nose up at. — Andrew Dobrow

Company project Page [Stewart Milne Group, via Luxist]

Solar technology is flaunted by the eco-geeks of the world because of the Sun’s incredible source of eco-friendly energy. With Maria Hamprecht’s design of this SW Solar Lamp the fashionistas of the world will now join the praise chorus.

The SW emits a lovely ambient, silhouette-like, soft glow. The kind of light that many photographers use to make their subjects look better. Leave the lamp out on the window all day, and enjoy beautiful light all night.

While it’s not really a “lamp” since their our no bulbs involved, the modern lamp like design makes for a nice piece of home decor as well. Just bring it home and enjoy electric-free and battery-free light. — Andrew Dobrow

[via Inhabitant] [via Yanko]

Trying to bring a bike with you on vacation can be a nightmare if you don’t have a huge car. If theres an easier way to feel like a kid putting a round peg in a square hole, then we’d love to hear it. Thanks to the Folding bike those times might be behind us for good. We must admit, once the bike is unraveled, it’s a hideous contraption, but it’s a nice alternative to a sprained back from the effort of a normal bike. The shape is best described as “awkward” and the color leaves something to be desired, but as an eco-friendly transportation device, it looks able for the job. Even if it does look like it was designed by Stevie Wonder. — Andrew Dobrow

Folding bikes [Spluch]